Hello Captains and welcome back. Another off-topic post. I promise I’m not going to flood the blog with these types of posts as most of you who “tune in” to this space do so to read my flight sim content. But as I had posted a few weeks ago about my renewing my love of billiards I thought I would write about my new pool cue and some of the research I had done related to cue shafts.
Like I mentioned in that previous post from a few weeks ago, carbon fiber (CF) shafts may have been around in the 80’s and early 90’s when I was playing regularly both at home and in pool halls including at college and elsewhere, they were something I hadn’t heard of. So when I began my research into purchasing a new cue I came across many discussions regarding the pros and cons to both traditional wood shafts versus carbon fiber shafts. Needless to say, the research both confused me and enlightened me almost in equal amounts. Then I had a memory from my college days when I was pretty good at shooting pool.
I suppose I must state that during my college days I did what most college age folks did and that was drink. Especially on the weekends. A bit of drink often brings out certain ambitions and I certainly did my share of “showboating” around the pool table. I remember one night I had went to the rec hall not with the intention of playing pool but just visiting a few friends. They wanted me to play but I was too lazy to go get my cue. I looked around at some of the house cues which were in various states of decline and couldn’t find one that wasn’t damaged or could easily be used to shoot a cue ball around the corner. In the corner of my eye I spotted a broom. The handle was the type that would unscrew (much like a painter pole) and it was straight as a board. Long story short, I used that broom handle and actually won the game. So the moral of this story is to say that if one knows what they are doing on a pool table (and back then I did) just about anything can be used to play pool. So with that in mind, I’ll continue with my story.
Some of the things I learned about carbon fiber shafts
Pros
Very smooth with minimal friction
Requires little maintenance
Does not warp even under temperature and humidity changes
Scratch resistant
Typically has more power
Low deflection
Cons
Higher Cost
Different feel from typical wood shafts
Limited repair options if damaged
Possible spin/English limitations due to stiffness
And now some pros and cons for wood shafts
Pros
Heavier feel and muted sound when hitting the cue ball
Typically has more customization/modification options
Has more flex and as a result provides more English.
More traditional look and feel.
More feedback to the bridge hand.
Cons
Easily scratched and dinged.
Harder to keep clean and requires more maintenance.
Extremely sensitive to temperature and humidity changes.
Taking into consideration the pros and cons for both the carbon fiber shafts and traditional wood shafts, while I’m interested in one day owning a carbon fiber shaft, I opted to purchase a traditional wood shaft as my new starter cue. With so many different choices in style, colors and price points, I opted for a somewhat middle of the road cue. I purchased the Viking Valhalla model VA941. This particular model is on the upper end of the Viking Valhalla series and typically sells for around $315-$320 USD. I found it on clearance from a reputable dealer at 40% off. Not a bad deal for a brand new cue.
As for how it plays, well….in my hands which are still relearning the game….not so bad. I love the look and the feel. It’s perfectly straight and shoots well. The tip is breaking in nicely and holds chalk well without depositing large amounts on the cue ball. All in all, I’m very happy with my new cue and overtime as I regain my skills, this cue will stand the test of time for me.
My wife has even been using it and loves it. So for her birthday I purchased her a Viking Valhalla in her favorite color of pink.
Until next time…
Jerry